What is the custom of raising the national flag in Chaoshan?

Chaoshan people carrying flags are called riding (taking and carrying) flags. Flag riding is generally one of the cultural parades in traditional folk activities, such as the elderly camping or ancestor worship, held in the first month of each year in Chaoshan area.

Two people or one person carries a rectangular flag, and both sides of the flag are embroidered with Chaozhou embroidery unique to Chaoshan. Generally, some beautiful blessing words and patterns are embroidered on the flag surface. It means praying for good weather, peace and prosperity and blessing the future life.

Introduction to the background of Chaoshan people carrying flags

Every year in the first month of the lunar calendar, towns and villages will hold gongs and drums parades of different scales, different times and different places. In the old days, rice (suona) and drums were used as wandering spirits or festive activities, accompanied by percussion instruments such as Su Luozai and cymbals (commonly known as "eight tones"), with high lights and colorful flags and a group of children in makeup singing while marching.

Since the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, with the rise of Chaozhou Opera, Puppet Show and the "string room" and "music hall" in various villages, gongs and drums marched with flags, perfecting the qupai, orchestration and performance forms.

Gradually, the "long-line set" of Chaozhou big gongs and drums was introduced, with nearly 10 kinds of percussion instruments such as big drums, deep waves, big gongs (Su gongs), fighting gongs and cymbals, supplemented by nearly 20 kinds of stringed instruments such as suona, dulcimer, coconut tree, big flute and sanxian. The tune is "Open a Window" and "Nanzheng Palace"

In painting and dress-up, many themes of Chaozhou opera are also used, such as the birthday of the Ten Immortals, the farewell of her son, and the drinking of Wang.